Clutch and variable-speed gear.



J. H. APHN. EG'W MM. arman. Exsurmx.A 4 CLUTCH ANU'VRMBLE SPEED GEARI.Arvucmou Amgl: MA1/1. |915.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918.

'1. H. APlDHN. DEC'D.

f M. AxAProHn. Exzcumx.

'CLUTCH AND VARIABLE SPEED GEAR.

APPucmoN min MAH. |915.

Patend Apr. 2, 1918.

J. H. APJUHN. DECD. -'M. A. mmm. Exrcumx. CLUTCH AND VARIABLE SPEEDGEAR.

v APPLlcAnN man MAv|.1srs.

PatentedApr. 2, 1918.

\ I ATT RNEY l. H. APIOHAN. DECD. u. A. Amoamfxicurmx. CLUTCH M19YARMBLE SPEED GEAR.

1,261,094. MPucnmu mfp um. |915.

Patented Apr. 2, 1918 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. APJO'HN, DECEASED, BY MARTHA AMANDA APJGHN, SQLE EXECUTRIX, OF

LONDON, ENGLAND.

CLUTCH AND VARIABLE-SPEED GEAR.4

Application filed May 1. 1915. Serial No.25,285.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that Malerin Amarina ArA .'lonN` a subject of the Kingr ot'(reat Britain and Ireland, residing at 52 Upper Mall, lilamlnersmith`London, ll'., England, is the sole executrixvot' the estate ot .lainesH. Ai'- .ioiIN, det-eased. and that the said JAMES APJoIIN did inventcertain new and useful Improvements in Clutch and Variable-Speed Gear,of which the following is a t'ull, clear,-

and exact description of the same.

This invention relates to clutch and vari able speed gear in which thedrivingr member ot' the clutch or gear is so connected with the drivenmember that where a reduction in speed with increased torque is requiredthe power is applied by the driving;I inemlier t0 tht` driven memberintermittently or by impulsesl which are imparted at varying' intervalsaeeordingto the speed of the driven member.

The. object ot' the present invention is to provide a simple compactpractical and etlicient apparatus of the type referred to applicable foruse as a clutch` as :L clutch and variable speed gear for motor drivenve hicles, or for use in either or both capacities for other rmi'poses.

In a known tlvpe ot' clutch on which the present invention is animprovement, it has been proposed to employ as clutch members a cylinderor cylinders and a piston or pistons working therein and operating uponan elastic cushioning' medium, such as air, one clutch member forexample the piston or pistons beingln connected to a crank or cranks onthe drivingl shaft or its equivalent, and the other clutch member forexample the cylinder or Cylinders being connected to the driven shaft orits equivalent.

Hitherto in this type of clutch a reductie of speed was invariablyaccompanied by 'a loss of power such reduction beingr brought about byopenin a cock to relieve the compression in the cy inder orcylmders andthus allowing of a certain amount of slip.

Nowaccording to this invention there is employed a cylinder and pistonform of clutch, as aforesaid, but the cylinders are so constructed thatby making them sufficiently long or otherwise there is provided a freecompression space therein such as will enable the pistons under abnormalvloads to make a, full stroke without release of the compression,

Specification of Letters Patent.

, atented Apr. 2, 1918.

inder or cylinders with the result that by ro tating the driving shaftthe clutch members revolve as a whole. Then however, the load 1sY abovethe normal the resistance of the cushioning medium is not. sufficient toprevent the piston or pistons from making a full Stroke in the cylinderor cylinders so that while the d rivinglr sliaft is able to revolve atthe speed imparted h v the engine and tiy wheel the driven shaft lagsbehind, torque bein;T applied to the driven shaft only during: thecompression of 'the elastic medium in the cylinders or until the cranksrevolve past their dead centers; and the pistons commenee their returnstrokes during;V which the engine runs tree and accelerates until thebeginningr oi' the next compression stroke of the pistons. Thus thespeed of the driven shatt is reduced and -the power of the driving shaftis conveyed thereto intermittently in the `t'orm ot' an impulse whichtakes eft'ert during' each eonii'nession stroke. It will he seen thatthe power absorbed in compressing' the elast'itI cushioning' lnedininduring' the working stroke of the piston will be restored praetieallywithout, loss on the retnrn stroke by the expansion effort of theenslfiioning medium.

In a` modification, means are provided for relieving the pressure of theelastic cushioningr medium before the piston reaches the casestransferring it to act on another piston which is commencing its returnstroke.

Means are also provided for relieving the piston `or pistons entirelyfrom the action of the elastic cushioning medium to put the clutch ontof action.

In the preferred form of this invention the cylinder and pistoncombination are connected with the driving shaft and inclosed in acasing or guide which surrounds or inloses the cylinder or cylinderssaid casing ein forn'nng the driven part of the clutch.

In a practical form of the inventiona pair of opposed radial. cylindersare mounted to revolve freely on the drivin shaft, and pistons whichwork in the cy inders are connected with cranks formed on the drivingshaft at a'n angle of 180.

connected to the driven shaft and' Each piston is ings in which,

Figure 1 is u vertical suction of a clutch constructed according to thisinvcntion,

Figs. 2, 3 und 4 nrc clcvution, longitudinnh section and transvcrscsection respectively of one of the clutch cylinders. und

Figs. 5 to 7 nrc similar vit-ws to Figs. 2, 3 and 4 illustrating onc ot'thc clutch pistons.

Fig. 8 isv a longitudinal soc-tional IAxial View of the forni shown inFigi. l` drun'n on a somewhat larger scalo.

Fig. 9 is n vicw similar to Fig. H. but illustrating a Solucwhntmodified forni ot' construction.

In thc forln of thc invention shown in Figs. 1 to 8 thc drivingil purtof thc clutch consists of two opposcd rudiul (-,yliudcrs a rz1- arrungcdto slidc in u. guido or casing,I l, mounted to revolve frccly ouhcnrings similnr t0 thc lmll hearings L on thc driving shaft c, and twooppositie pistons bl working in thc cylindcrs n, o und conncctcd h vgudgcon. pins d' :nul connu-sting rods ri to cranks formed 'on thedrivingA sluitt ut nu :lnglc ol 180. '.lhc pistons L b1 nrc loruu-.rlwith soglncntul cxtcnsions or trunks f which extend in oppositedirections across thc drivin shaft. and nrc connccu-d to tho oppositn cyintlcrs hy flungcs g holtcd to oorrosponding flnngcs on tlux cylinders,thc urrungi'- ment being such that thcA cylindcrs u ai :irc actuated to:in cqun'l cxtcnt und in thc oppositc dircction to lzhcir rcspcctivopistons b1 thus producing rupid coliiprcssion ol' tho clfesticcushioning iuodiuul in thc cylinders und rcducing` thc length ol' thostrokc. 'Ihc cusiug or gnidc la surroululing thcy cyliudcrs forms thcdriven part und is opor-nti vol)r con` nectcd with thc rlrivcn shuttf-'.

The outcr cnds ot' tluuryliudcrs u. fl.' uri closed und cnoh is providcdwith u srnlin r for a vnlvej nrrnngcd llo opon inn'urd. ir which forms nconvenient 4vlnstic cushioning lucdiuln is ndlnittcd to tlu ryliudcrs\\'lu-n ovni' it is dcsil'cd Lot-ruusuiit motion hy uu'uns ol'[.lionlnmrntushy opvninnl llu` vulvrs. which nrc lnplzclostd duriiugr horunnin-sion st rolns of thc pistons. -wfAny suitnblc link and lcvvrconnrlcliion, (notshown) may hc uscd for oprrutingg,r thc volv und suchconlwct'iou is scpnrutvly opcrutcd by means of u slccvc in :i nuuniersimilar to the slecvc shown in Fig. 9 for filmrol:- ing the valve k.

lt` will lu' sccu tluit if thc vulvvs nrchnld opcn thc pistons /1 undthrir (-Ivlindcrs (L al (fun roriproi-ut(x l'rilly |'nluti\fl.\r to auchoflu'r u'ul to thc outcr using or guido /z und no lnovcnmnt will hchnpurtvd to tlu` lansing or drirvn uwlnhrr /1 o'lI llul guur hut if thcvulvcs :irc closcd thc drircu nuwnhcr fi. will hc cuuscd to ri-volvowith thc driving' n'nul'lluu's und nt tluI snlnu spccd il' thc totulprcssuru ot tho nir in thc r'vlindvrs is snllicicnt to prnvnntvrcriprornt ion ol' tlu pistons. li howcvcr, thc loud is such lluit thisprossurc is not; su'licimil to prnvont llu` lrciproouting motion oi'tln` pistons l `in tluir oylindcrs n fr1 tho pistons uill n-'xcll ndriving foro(` up to thc ond ol' thcir col'uprossion strokes \\'l1ihIoli` thc ri-turn strolu during,- which thc nir (-ouipri'ssnd in thc'ylindoljs cxpunds ugi'uin, tho pistons \\'ill nuovo in tho cylindcrswith no driving' l'orriu nud thc spccd ot thidrivvn pzu't run diminishin rrlution to tlu` drirv. ()n thv next rompi-cssion strolo tho driwupurl \\'ill hc ziolvd upon by thc pom-r :uw-umulutcd in thc drivingrwhcn runningI l'roo ou tho nxpunsion strolc(x givingiurronsml lol-pul tothc drivcn part, i

0r ultvrnulivcl'v. :is shown in Fig. il. thc outcr (fusing 7a couldluurrnugod to :nat :is un auxiliary cyliudcr und provide-d with tlnusu-r port 'L' i* coiiln'ruting with ports F in thv other cyliudors inwhich thc pistons work, so that thc :nir I'chusod from ono o ylin-A dvrcould bc :ldluillrd to unothcr cylindor und cxpund in sznno on tlurcturn stroko ol" its pistou so that thc work used in conlprvss ing tlhnir would not` hv lost.

In this cnsn tluI pistons :lud dors :ict ns vulvi's vovcrincr tho portsduring thu rolnprcssion .strokr und uncovcriug tho suino to tirnnsl'ortlu- (fomprrsscd nir fruu nuo c vliudrr lo :luothcr :it o1A ncur thc cudoll thcl rolnprossion stroln.

lu llu'- position shown in Figi. t) tlnI cylinrli-l' l und piston /Jhun` lourhcd tlw vnd oi outl compression strolw in nhirh position tlutporty j: ronus oppositcI tlu` port allowing thm` couiprcsscd nir incylindi-r fr to vscnpc into rusting /ll which urls :is :nu nuxilinriYcyl indrr` cyliudvr u working :is :i piston in rus inf: l. (ln thvrcturn sti-olio llul v vliudor .a tirs!` (-losi-s th( port fund thou(-olnprosscs thc nir in cus-ing' l' until port .j" ronws opposito porti' nhcn tlu` :nir coinprvssvd in rinsingfr is lruusl'crrml through portP. port l" :1nd port j to llu illltriol' ot' llu` cyliluhr H lo sisttluuoxt coniprcssion stroluol' piston fi.

rotol'y nil' l'vlcuso volvi 1'.' isscut-od in tho using /1 und has nport Il. liv suilnhlv :u'- tunting this vnlvc hy :l collur n on thoilriv ing sluxfl rf thc cylindcr n :ind (fusing "rcnn iniur cylin hc putin connnunicut'ion through ports m n und thc vnlvc port k1 to frnc thcclutch.

As shown in Fig. fl thc casing is formvd with radiating ribs or gillsfor carrying oil heat.

What'is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is 1. Aclutch comprising a driving shaft having cranks formed thereon at anangle of 180, opposed radial c 'linders mounted to revolve freely on thedriving shaft and containing an elastic cushioning medium such as air, apiston working in each cylinder and fixed to the-opposed cylinder, rodsconnecting the pistons with the cranks of the driving shaft, and adriven member consist.- ing of a casing or guide surrounding thecylindersl and connected with the driven shaft, the Whole constructedand operating substantially as described.

2. A clutch comprising a driving shaft having cranks formed thereon atan angle of 180, opposed radial cylinders mounted to revolve freely onthe driving shaft and containing an elastic cushioning medium such asair, a piston working in each cylinder and fixed to the opposedcylinder, rods connecting the pistons With the cranks of the drivingshaft, a driven member consisting of a casing or guide surrounding thecylinders and connected with the driven shaft and air inlet and outletvalves controlling der, rods connecting the passage of fluid into andout of said cylinders.

3. A clutch comprising in combination a driving shaft having cranksformed thereon at an angle of 1800, opposed radial cylinders mounted torevolve freely on the driving shaft and containing an elastic cushioningmedium such as air, a piston Working in each cylinder and fixed to theopposed cylinthe pistons Withthe cranks of the driving shaft, and adriven member consisting of a casing or guide snrrounding the cylindersand connected with the driven shaft, said outer casing acting as acylindexI and being provided with valves for ports cooperating withports in the other cylinders.

4."Thc combination with a shaft having cranks thereon atan angle of18()C of pistons connected to said cranks, and cylinders in which saidpistons reciprocate, saidircylinders being connected to the opposedpistons and being mounted to both rotate and reciprocate.

MARTHA AMAN DA APJOHN,

Sole Emeourv. Witnesses OSCAR CARLBERG, JANIE HAMILTON.

